News
Brit crackdown
Magaluf may outlaw British tourists from drinking alcohol except with meals . The town ’ s council has been considering responses to residents ’ demands for a ban on happy hours and “ two for one ” offers . New by-laws introduced last year to cut down on anti-social behaviour already threaten fines for urinating , being naked or having sex in public , littering , damaging street furniture and playing loud music .
Porn suspect
National Police have arrested a Belgian national at Málaga ’ s airport shortly after he arrived from Thailand . Investigators , who suspect he has been distributing child pornography , found a number of paedophile images on his mobile phone and , later , others at his home . The investigation began in August when a woman reported she had received pornographic images from an unknown person on Whatsapp .
Football fight
A football player who punched another to the ground and then kicked him in the face has been handed a 20-month prison sentence and ordered to pay his victim compensation of € 3,600 . The incident happened during a match in Benajarafe during January 2015 . The Provincial Court heard last month that the player attacked had suffered facial injuries and lost a tooth .
Embankment falls
A parent and child escaped injury in Málaga last month when the wall of a large excavated construction site collapsed near them . They were in a children ’ s play area which backs onto the site when a stretch of the high supporting embankment gave way . Police ordered work at the site in the Teatinos district to be halted as an inspection got underway .
Fake suspects
A married couple who created a business in Málaga supposedly to sell property have been detained on suspicion of defrauding the Social Security of € 357,000 using false documents . Investigators claim they sold fake employment contracts enabling the holders to claim benefits or subsidies illegally . A further 18 people have also been detained while residence permits they obtained irregularly using fake documents are being annulled .
Málaga ’ s “ Cube ” to get five more years
An agreement in principle is reported to have been made to extend the presence of the Pompidou Centre in Málaga by a further five years . The French museum , known locally as The Cube , opened in the city in March 2015 for an initial period of five years , extendable by the same period .
Last month ’ s news came just after King Felipe and Princess Letizia visited the Centre . During their visit , the King expressed his hope that the Pompidou Centre ’ s link with Málaga and Andalucía would remain , “ a beautiful reality ” for years to come .
The city ’ s mayor Francisco de la Torre is reported to have agreed the extension of the museum ’ s stay with its president , Serge Lasvignes , retaining the same conditions as presently exist . These include a payment of € 2.07 million from Málaga Town Hall to the museum in Paris , of which € 1 million is for use of the Pompidou brand and its collection , while the remainder covers insurance ,
Málaga ’ s 12-month moritorium on issuing new open licences for bars and restaurants in central areas was passed by the city ’ s Council last month . The ban will come into effect during March and April in the historic central area and the Teatinos district . The zone affected as been declared “ acoustically saturated ” by the town hall and the move to improve the environment follows three months of consultations with businesses , hoteliers and residents ’ associations . No new licences will be issued in the zone to anyone hoping to open a restaurant , café or self-service outlet , a pub or bar , a disco or a club , and any premises designed for large scale celebrations , such as weddings . In addition , such businesses which already exist in the zone will not be permitted to expand their operations .
However , activities which the Council deems to be of “ general interest to the city ” will be allowed . In 24 streets in the travel costs and expert advice .
The Málaga Pompidou Centre was the first to be opened outside France , but plans are presently underway for similar projects in Shanghai and Brussels . Since its inauguration , The Cube has attracted half a million visitors , although this is some way behind the prediction of 250,000 a year , while box office revenues are just 43 per cent of the predicted annual € 990,000 . However , visitor numbers are gradually increasing with last year ’ s total of 168,143 up 4.19 per cent on 2016 .
Málaga bans new central leisure outlets
central area and three in Teatinos , business opening hours will be strictly controlled with closing times brought forward by an hour to match those in other areas of the city . On weekdays closure will be set at 1.00am in autumn and winter and at 2.00am in spring and summer , while at weekends the businesses must close by 2.00am all year round .
Exceptions will be made during Easter week , at Christmas and throughout the city ’ s annual Carnaval . In addition , business owners in the zone will be obliged to ensure that doors and windows are kept closed from midnight onwards every night . The Council says there will be a greater presence of local police in the affected streets to ensure compliance while a public awareness campaign will be launched . A working group will monitor the situation to check that noise levels are not being exceeded .
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